Disney re-releasing more films in 3D after “Lion King” success

Disney re-releasing more films in 3D after “Lion King” success

Walt Disney Pictures announced Tuesday that it is set to re-release in theaters “Beauty and the Beast,” “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters, Inc.” and “The Little Mermaid” in 3D.

The decision was made following the success of “The Lion King” 3D re-release in September. Converted to 3D for less than $10 million and released as part of a promotional push for its October Blu-ray release, the studio was shocked when it beat out new releases to become the No. 1 movie two weeks in a row. Walt Disney Studios president Alan Bergman said in a statement, “Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we’re fortunate to have a treasure trove of both.”

In the announcement, it stated that the 3D version of “Beauty and the Beast” will open in limited U.S. theaters on January 13, 2012. The movie was originally released in 1991 and grossed $380.4 million worldwide. Like “The Lion King,” the film resulted in a long-running Broadway show as well as regional tours.

“Finding Nemo,” originally released in 2003 and the fourth-highest-grossing animated movie of all time, will follow in 3D in September 2012. “Monsters, Inc.,” a prequel to the original film, and “The Little Mermaid” will be released in 2013.